Journaling your way into the new year…
For many of us – myself included – January marks the start of a new beginning. A beginning where you get to wipe the slate clean and anything is possible. Having said goodbye to everything that happened the year before, you get to look forward and think about all the exciting things you want to see and do over the coming months.
But what exactly do you want to accomplish this year?
What are your goals and how are you going to make them happen? Not sure? Well, don’t worry because I’ve got you covered and this post is going to help!
One of the best ways to figure out what you want for the new year is to use writing prompts. Writing prompts that not only focus on self-reflection but goal setting and personal growth too. Writing prompts that are going to help you get your new year off to a great start and set goals that truly resonate with what you want.
And so, in this post, I’m sharing 31 of my favourite writing prompts so that you can do just that. PLUS, I’ve created a FREE printable with all 31 prompts on it for you to download too…so make sure you snag your copy!
Want to know what my 31 writing prompts for the new year are? Keep reading!
Why use journaling prompts like these?
You can’t set goals for the year if you don’t know what you want. Nor can you focus on your personal growth if you don’t know which areas of your life need attention. It might sound obvious but you’d be amazed by the number of people who set goals without ever really taking the time to think about what they want.
Start your year with renewed focus and clarity
Things are always better when we have a plan, right? When you have a plan and you know what you want, you’re more likely to set goals that truly resonate. And when your goals resonate, you’re more like to accomplish them.
Answering new year writing prompts like these will help you to gain focus and clarity. You’ll discover what your core values are, what drives and motivates you and what things in life matter to you most. Your answers to these questions will show you which areas of your life you’re doing okay in and which need attention the most so that you can start your new year heading in the right direction.
It’s time to stop dwelling on the past
It’s all too easy to dwell on the past. To focus on all the things that didn’t go so well and the things you didn’t quite accomplish and feel like a failure. But the past has been and gone, you can’t change it and all dwelling on it does is stop you from moving forward.
Using new year writing prompts like these helps turn that mindset on it’s head. Instead of looking back, you get to look forward. You get to let go of whatever has been holding you back and set goals that will help you to make a change for the better so that you can start creating a life you love.
31 writing prompts for the new year…
So, are you ready to find out what my 31 writing prompts for the new year are? Here they are, split into three categories – self-reflection; personal growth and goal setting. Get your notebook and pen ready…it’s time to start writing!
Writing prompts for self-reflection…
- If you had to pick ONE word to sum up the past year, what word would you choose? Why did you choose that word?
- What books have you read over the last year that made an impact on your life?
- What would you like to let go of and leave in your past? (It could be an old relationship, a painful secret, a grudge or a regret.)
- Are there areas in your heart, mind, or body where you need healing? Who could you ask to walk that journey with you?
- Are there areas in your life you’re happy with and don’t want to change?
- How would you like your life to be different this year?
- Who took the time to mentor you when you really needed it last year? How can you thank that person?
- If you could create a dream team to help you make life flow more smoothly, who would be in it? Why did you pick them and what have you learned from your choices?
Writing prompts for personal growth…
- What brings you joy, lifts you up and makes you smile? How can you fit MORE of it into your every day?
- What would you like to learn this year? Are there other cultures you’ve always wanted to study or classes you want to attend?
- In which areas of your life will you challenge yourself? Are there new skills you want to develop or a talent you want to hone even more?
- What self-limiting beliefs do you want to push past in the new year? What self-limiting beliefs are keeping you stuck (e.g. I can’t control my finances, I could never leave my job, I’m no good at anything)?
- What new mantras will you use to replace your limiting beliefs (e.g. I’m getting better at managing my money, I’m capable of doing any job I like, I have lots of skills to share etc.)?
- What word will you choose for your word of the year this year? Why this word? What does living out this word look like to you?
- How will you use your word of the year to shape your decisions in the coming weeks? The coming months?
- Who could you share your word for the year with?
- Where will you display your word of the year so you’ll see it often and be reminded to lean into it?
- What new hobbies would you like to take up? Why do you want to pursue them?
- How much negative content on social media do you consume? How could you make your online experience more positive this year?
- Which books would you like to read this year? How can you add more reading time to your day?
- What new foods do you want to try? Do you want to perfect your chocolate muffin recipe, make yummy smoothies, or try new cuisines?
- Who would you like to bless this year? List 3-7 people you’d love to pour into – yourself included if you want!
- Thinking about the people you’ve just listed; how will you bless each one of them?
- Looking ahead, who could you mentor in the coming months? This can be someone you want to mentor personally or professionally.
Writing prompts for goal setting…
- What three things do you most want to accomplish in 2020? How will you make space and time to honour these goals?
- What new routines would you like to establish? Which not so great habits do you want to replace with better or healthier ones?
- What projects do you want to start this year? Why is working on these projects important to you?
- Who do you want to meet this year? Make a list of 3-5 people. Think about why you chose each person specifically and ways you could meet them.
- Where would you like to travel to this year? (Think locally AND further away if you want to.)
- Is there clutter in your home you’d like to get rid of? Which room would you start with and what would you do with the things you no longer want or need?
- Which charities or organisations would you like to donate to in the coming months? It doesn’t have to be money, it could be your time, your energy or your skills instead.
How to get the most out of these new-year journaling prompts…
There you have it, my 31 writing prompts for the new year! Want to get the most out of these goal setting and personal growth journaling prompts? Follow these five tips.
#1: Download the FREE printable
First, be sure to download the FREE printable that comes with this post. You’ll find all 31 writing prompts for the new year on it. Keep it somewhere safe so that you can come back to it any time you want. File it in your diary or planner and whenever you have a few minutes, scroll down the list, pick a question and start writing.
#2: Keep it simple
If you’re new to journaling and this list of 31 writing prompts overwhelms you, don’t worry. Just pick a few that you feel you could answer and go from there. Write whatever comes to mind and when you’re done, simply pick another question.
Know that you don’t have to journal on every writing prompt for the new year either. Some questions will resonate, others won’t and that’s okay. Simply pick the ones that do and leave out the rest.
#3: Write without judgement
The idea here is to dig deep and search for answers that are going to help you move forward. And you can’t do that unless you’re honest. No one else needs to see your answers and you can always throw them away after. So, allow yourself to be honest. To write freely and without judgement. Don’t worry if you don’t have answers on how to make something happen. You don’t need answers right now. That comes later. For now, just get your thoughts down on paper.
#4: Reflect
Once you’ve answered these new-year writing prompts, go back over what you’ve written. Spend some time reading and reflecting on your answers and use them to help you set your goals for the coming year. Want somewhere to record your goals? Check out my weekly goal setting worksheet.
#5: Use these writing prompts again and again.
These writing prompts aren’t just for the new year. They work great as goal setting and personal growth journaling prompts any time of the year. So, if at any time you’re feeling lost or stuck, simply revisit them. Give yourself a fresh start by pretending it’s a new year and reviewing everything up until now. Read over your answers and use them to gain fresh focus.
Want all 31 writing prompts in one long list?
- If you had to pick ONE word to sum up the past year, what word would you choose? Why did you choose that word?
- What books have you read over the last year that made an impact on your life?
- What would you like to let go of and leave in your past? (It could be an old relationship, a painful secret, a grudge or a regret.)
- Are there areas in your heart, mind, or body where you need healing? Who could you ask to walk that journey with you?
- Are there areas in your life you’re happy with and don’t want to change?
- How would you like your life to be different this year?
- Who took the time to mentor you when you really needed it last year? How can you thank that person?
- If you could create a dream team to help you make life flow more smoothly, who would be in it? Why did you pick them and what have you learned from your choices?
- What brings you joy, lifts you up and makes you smile? How can you fit MORE of it into your every day?
- What would you like to learn this year? Are there other cultures you’ve always wanted to study or classes you want to attend?
- In which areas of your life will you challenge yourself? Are there new skills you want to develop or a talent you want to hone even more?
- What self-limiting beliefs do you want to push past in the new year? What self-limiting beliefs are keeping you stuck (e.g. I can’t control my finances, I could never leave my job, I’m no good at anything)?
- What new mantras will you use to replace your limiting beliefs (e.g. I’m getting better at managing my money, I’m capable of doing any job I like, I have lots of skills to share etc.)?
- What word will you choose for your word of the year this year? Why this word? What does living out this word look like to you?
- How will you use your word of the year to shape your decisions in the coming weeks? The coming months?
- Who could you share your word for the year with?
- Where will you display your word of the year so you’ll see it often and be reminded to lean into it?
- What new hobbies would you like to take up? Why do you want to pursue them?
- How much negative content on social media do you consume? How could you make your online experience more positive this year?
- Which books would you like to read this year? How can you add more reading time to your day?
- What new foods do you want to try? Do you want to perfect your chocolate muffin recipe, make yummy smoothies, or try new cuisines?
- Who would you like to bless this year? List 3-7 people you’d love to pour into – yourself included if you want!
- Thinking about the people you’ve just listed; how will you bless each one of them?
- Looking ahead, who could you mentor in the coming months? This can be someone you want to mentor personally or professionally.
- What three things do you most want to accomplish in 2020? How will you make space and time to honour these goals?
- What new routines would you like to establish? Which not so great habits do you want to replace with better or healthier ones?
- What projects do you want to start this year? Why is working on these projects important to you?
- Who do you want to meet this year? Make a list of 3-5 people. Think about why you chose each person specifically and ways you could meet them.
- Where would you like to travel to this year? (Think locally AND further away if you want to.)
- Is there clutter in your home you’d like to get rid of? Which room would you start with and what would you do with the things you no longer want or need?
- What charities or organisations would you like to donate to in the coming months? It doesn’t have to be money, it could be your time, your energy or your skills instead.
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